WFBL
Encyclopedia
WFBL, located at 1390 kHz on the AM dial, is a talk and news radio station owned by Buckley Broadcasting
and serving the city of Syracuse, New York
.
WFBL's call sign stands for "First Broadcast License" because the station was the first FCC-licensed radio station to sign on in central New York in 1922. The station went on the air as WFBL in 1922, changed signs to WLLF on 1989-10-17. On 1989-11-01, the station changed its call sign to the current WFBL. on 1993-09-21 to WDCW, on 2003-12-01 to the current WFBL.
The station is currently under a local marketing agreement
with Jim Johnson (doing business as "Leatherstocking Media Group"), owner of WMCR
and WMCR-FM
. Johnson is working to buy the station and its sister, WSEN
.
, WestStar TalkRadio Network
, and Westwood One
. Programming includes First Light
, America's Morning News with Melanie Morgan
, The Laura Ingraham Show
, Dennis Miller
, Fred Thompson, Jason Lewis
, Larry King Live
, Jim Bohannon
and The Phil Hendrie Show
. The Kim Komando Show
, Jim Slinsky's Outdoor Talk Network, The Money Pit Home Improvement Radio Show (hosted by Tom Kraeutler
and Leslie Segrete
), Bob Brinker
's Moneytalk, Cigar Dave
, The Other Side With Steve Godfrey
, and a local show known as "The Car Guys" are heard on Saturdays. National Geographic Radio, Meet the Press
, Motor Trend Radio and Science Fantastic with Michio Kaku
air on Sundays.
Since October 26, a local noon hour had been hosted by Jon Alvarez. On Feb. 23, 2010, Facebook took down a tribute page Alvarez created to honor Joe Stack, who crashed his private plane into the IRS offices in Austin, Texas the previous week killing federal worker Vernon Hunter. Alvarez was dismissed from the station March 5 amid a massive programming shuffle among several stations in the Syracuse market.
WFBL's competitors include WSYR
and WXTL.
, being one of the 16 stations that aired the first CBS network program on September 18, 1927.
From May 1979 to October 1980, WFBL, then known as "Fire 14," used consultant Mike Joseph's Hot Hits
format as a Top 40 competitor to 1490 WOLF
. Airchecks of the station during its Hot Hits phase can be heard here.
WFBL dropped "Hot Hits" in October 1980 in favor of the then-emerging adult standards
format called Music of Your Life
. The WFBL calls (and standards format) later moved to 1050 AM in Baldwinsville, New York
(now WSEN
) before returning to their original home at 1390.
For a few years, WFBL was a talk radio
station with a line-up that very closely mirrored, with few exceptions, that of its sister station, WOR
in New York City.
This continued until April 7, 2008 at 6:00AM, when WFBL switched formats from "Talk Radio 1390" to "Oldies 1390." The station features music from the 1950s and 1960s. The station now complements WSEN, which focuses on 1970s and 1980s hits. A handful of talk programs, primarily heard on weekends, will be retained, including Joey Reynolds
and The Dolans
.
On October 12, 2009, the oldies format moved to WSEN 1050 and announced the return of the talk radio format.
Buckley Broadcasting
Buckley Radio owns and operates twenty radio stations in seven markets. In addition, the WOR Radio Network is operated as an independent syndicated programming provider with affiliates in over 400 markets.-New York:*WOR - New York, NY...
and serving the city of Syracuse, New York
Syracuse, New York
Syracuse is a city in and the county seat of Onondaga County, New York, United States, the largest U.S. city with the name "Syracuse", and the fifth most populous city in the state. At the 2010 census, the city population was 145,170, and its metropolitan area had a population of 742,603...
.
WFBL's call sign stands for "First Broadcast License" because the station was the first FCC-licensed radio station to sign on in central New York in 1922. The station went on the air as WFBL in 1922, changed signs to WLLF on 1989-10-17. On 1989-11-01, the station changed its call sign to the current WFBL. on 1993-09-21 to WDCW, on 2003-12-01 to the current WFBL.
The station is currently under a local marketing agreement
Local marketing agreement
In U.S. and Canadian broadcasting, a local marketing agreement is an agreement in which one company agrees to operate a radio or television station owned by another licensee...
with Jim Johnson (doing business as "Leatherstocking Media Group"), owner of WMCR
WMCR (AM)
WMCR is a radio station broadcasting a news/talk format, simulcasting WFBL. Licensed to Oneida, New York, USA. The station is currently owned by Leatherstocking Media Group, Inc.-History:...
and WMCR-FM
WMCR-FM
WMCR-FM is a radio station broadcasting a classic hits format. The morning host on WMCR is Todd Emanuelli. Licensed to Oneida, New York, USA, the station serves central New York with an emphasis on Madison and Oneida counties. The station is currently owned by Leatherstocking Media Group....
. Johnson is working to buy the station and its sister, WSEN
WSEN
WSEN is the call sign of a pair of radio stations serving the Syracuse, New York metropolitan area. The two stations simulcast each other for much of the 2000s, but as of 2011, the FM station carries an adult hits format focusing on the 1980s and 1990s, while the AM station carries classic hits and...
.
Programming
As of October 11, 2009, WFBL is known as CNY Talk Radio and contains primarily syndicated news and talk radio commentators. The station is affiliated primarily with Talk Radio NetworkTalk Radio Network
Talk Radio Network is an American radio network providing talk radio programming, with an emphasis on conservative talk on weekdays and variety/general interest talk radio on weekends. Some of the most recognizable personalities in American radio, such as Laura Ingraham and Michael Savage, are...
, WestStar TalkRadio Network
WestStar TalkRadio Network
WestStar TalkRadio Network is a privately held United States corporation operating as a live national radio broadcast network, program creator and program syndicator. Corporate offices and all studios are located at 2711 N. 24th Street, Phoenix, Arizona...
, and Westwood One
Westwood One
Westwood One was an American radio network and was based in New York City. At one time, it was managed by CBS Radio, the radio arm of CBS Corporation, and Viacom and was later purchased by the private equity firm The Gores Group...
. Programming includes First Light
First Light (radio)
First Light is a syndicated talk radio program hosted by Dirk Van. The one-hour live program airs weekdays at 5:00 a.m. Eastern Time and is one of a small number of programs airing live in that time slot...
, America's Morning News with Melanie Morgan
Melanie Morgan
Melanie Morgan is an American radio personality. She was formerly a host at KSFO in San Francisco where her husband, Jack Swanson, was the General Manager. She was recently laid off due to budget cutbacks and declining ad revenue. She has also previously worked as a reporter for KGO-TV in San...
, The Laura Ingraham Show
The Laura Ingraham Show
The Laura Ingraham Show is a three-hour American radio show hosted by conservative commentator Laura Ingraham on Talk Radio Network. , the show is broadcast live on Channel 2, from 9 a.m...
, Dennis Miller
Dennis Miller
Dennis Miller is an American stand-up comedian, political commentator, actor, sports commentator, and television and radio personality. He is known for his critical assessments laced with pop culture references...
, Fred Thompson, Jason Lewis
Jason Lewis (radio host)
Jason Lewis is an American radio talk show host and political commentator. His show is currently syndicated nationally on the Genesis Communications Network. His radio show was previously broadcast locally for 10 years on KSTP in the Minneapolis/St. Paul metropolitan area of Minnesota, until Lewis...
, Larry King Live
Larry King Live
Larry King Live is an American talk show hosted by Larry King on CNN from 1985 to 2010. It was CNN's most watched and longest-running program, with over one million viewers nightly....
, Jim Bohannon
Jim Bohannon
James E. "Jim" Bohannon is an American broadcaster who has worked in both television and radio.During the 1980s he was a fill-in for Larry King when King had his popular nighttime national radio program. He also does much work with the Smithsonian Associates...
and The Phil Hendrie Show
The Phil Hendrie Show
The Phil Hendrie Show is a comedy talk radio program. The show is syndicated throughout North America on Talk Radio Network. It is known for outrageous guests, the majority of whom are fictional and voiced live by the host, Phil Hendrie...
. The Kim Komando Show
The Kim Komando Show
The Kim Komando Show is a commercial talk radio program focusing on personal computers, the use of the Internet, and the complexities of consumer electronics....
, Jim Slinsky's Outdoor Talk Network, The Money Pit Home Improvement Radio Show (hosted by Tom Kraeutler
Tom Kraeutler
Tom Kraeutler is a home improvement broadcast journalist and author.Kraeutler co-hosts the nationally syndicated “Money Pit Home Improvement Radio Show” broadcast on more than 265 stations every weekend, with an audience of more than 4 million listeners. His home improvement tips are also...
and Leslie Segrete
Leslie Segrete
Leslie Segrete is an American designer, seamstress, carpenter, and television personality. She is best known for her work on the TLC show While You Were Out, which concluded a four-year run in 2006, She also appeared as a designer on Trading Spaces and Ugliest House on the Block.-Biography:Segrete...
), Bob Brinker
Bob Brinker
Bob Brinker is the host of the radio show Moneytalk, which has been on the air nationally since 1986. He previously had a show on local New York radio on WMCA. Prior to that Brinker hosted talkradio programs on WCAU and WWDB in Philadelphia...
's Moneytalk, Cigar Dave
Cigar Dave
David Zeplowitz , is the creator and host of Smoke This!-- a nationally syndicated radio program devoted entirely to cigar smoking and its accompanying lifestyle.-Biography:...
, The Other Side With Steve Godfrey
The Other Side With Steve Godfrey
The Other Side With Steve Godfrey was a nationally syndicated radio show aired on a number of radio stations across the United States. The show aired from 9 PM to midnight EST, on Saturday nights. It was hosted by self-professed psychic medium Steve Godfrey on flagship station KFYI in Phoenix,...
, and a local show known as "The Car Guys" are heard on Saturdays. National Geographic Radio, Meet the Press
Meet the Press
Meet the Press is a weekly American television news/interview program produced by NBC. It is the longest-running television series in American broadcasting history, despite bearing little resemblance to the original format of the program seen in its television debut on November 6, 1947. It has been...
, Motor Trend Radio and Science Fantastic with Michio Kaku
Michio Kaku
is an American theoretical physicist, the Henry Semat Professor of Theoretical Physics in the City College of New York of City University of New York, the co-founder of string field theory, and a "communicator" and "popularizer" of science...
air on Sundays.
Since October 26, a local noon hour had been hosted by Jon Alvarez. On Feb. 23, 2010, Facebook took down a tribute page Alvarez created to honor Joe Stack, who crashed his private plane into the IRS offices in Austin, Texas the previous week killing federal worker Vernon Hunter. Alvarez was dismissed from the station March 5 amid a massive programming shuffle among several stations in the Syracuse market.
WFBL's competitors include WSYR
WSYR (AM)
WSYR is a 5,000 watt radio station licensed to Syracuse, New York. Owned and operated by Clear Channel Communications, it broadcasts a talk radio format under the moniker "Newsradio 106.9 WSYR." It was previously billed as "Newsradio 570 WSYR" until it became a simulcast with WPHR-FM in January...
and WXTL.
Historical Notes
WFBL was a charter member of the CBS Radio NetworkCBS Radio Network
The CBS Radio Network provides news, sports and other programming to more than 1,000 radio stations throughout the United States. The network is owned by CBS Corporation, and operated by CBS Radio ....
, being one of the 16 stations that aired the first CBS network program on September 18, 1927.
From May 1979 to October 1980, WFBL, then known as "Fire 14," used consultant Mike Joseph's Hot Hits
Hot Hits
Hot Hits was a radio format created by consultant Mike Joseph in the 1970s. That concept, which helped spur the birth of what is now known as CHR, also revitalized the Top 40 format and would play a role in bringing the format to the FM band throughout the 1980s.The concept was to play only the...
format as a Top 40 competitor to 1490 WOLF
WOLF (AM)
WOLF and WWLF are the Radio Disney simulcasts for Syracuse, New York and the nearby Finger Lakes area. The outlet broadcasts at 1 kilowatt on 1490 kHz and 1340 kHz . The stations are 51% owned by Craig Fox, who also owns several other radio and low-power TV stations in New York...
. Airchecks of the station during its Hot Hits phase can be heard here.
WFBL dropped "Hot Hits" in October 1980 in favor of the then-emerging adult standards
Adult standards
Adult standards is a North American radio format heard primarily on AM or class A FM stations.Adult standards is aimed at "mature" adults, meaning mainly those persons over 50 years of age, but it is mostly targeted for senior citizens...
format called Music of Your Life
Music of Your Life
Music of Your Life is a satellite-delivered radio network featuring the Adult Standards music format. Created by record executive and jingle writer Al Ham, and now under the direction of Marc Angell, Music of Your Life has more than 50 AM, FM and HD-2 radio station affiliates, and has been in...
. The WFBL calls (and standards format) later moved to 1050 AM in Baldwinsville, New York
Baldwinsville, New York
Baldwinsville is a village in Onondaga County, New York, United States. The population was 7,053 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Syracuse Metropolitan Statistical Area....
(now WSEN
WSEN
WSEN is the call sign of a pair of radio stations serving the Syracuse, New York metropolitan area. The two stations simulcast each other for much of the 2000s, but as of 2011, the FM station carries an adult hits format focusing on the 1980s and 1990s, while the AM station carries classic hits and...
) before returning to their original home at 1390.
For a few years, WFBL was a talk radio
Talk radio
Talk radio is a radio format containing discussion about topical issues. Most shows are regularly hosted by a single individual, and often feature interviews with a number of different guests. Talk radio typically includes an element of listener participation, usually by broadcasting live...
station with a line-up that very closely mirrored, with few exceptions, that of its sister station, WOR
WOR (AM)
WOR is a class A , AM radio station located in New York, New York, U.S., operating on 710 kHz. The station has a talk format and has been owned by Buckley Broadcasting since 1987, after the station was sold by RKO. The station has conservative, or right-of-center hosts.Its call letters have no...
in New York City.
This continued until April 7, 2008 at 6:00AM, when WFBL switched formats from "Talk Radio 1390" to "Oldies 1390." The station features music from the 1950s and 1960s. The station now complements WSEN, which focuses on 1970s and 1980s hits. A handful of talk programs, primarily heard on weekends, will be retained, including Joey Reynolds
Joey Reynolds
Joey Reynolds is the pseudonym of Joey Pinto, host of the U.S. radio program The Joey Reynolds Show via the WOR Radio Network. Reynolds' broadcasting career started on TV- in Buffalo at WGR TV 2...
and The Dolans
The Dolans
The Dolans are known as "The First Family of Finance".Ken Dolan and Daria Dolan were anchors for Dolans Unscripted on CNN. They have also written six books on personal finance and hosted several money seminars...
.
On October 12, 2009, the oldies format moved to WSEN 1050 and announced the return of the talk radio format.